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A Century of Choice Aphorisms
by John Gadbury
(Added at the end of the Collectio Geniturarum)
1 Jan 1628 Weakley in
Oxfordshire, educated at Oxford
1. Of all the parts of Astrology the Genethiliacal is the chief, for therein is consulted the whole progress of Man, from his birth to his burial; and by that alone we are enabled to discover the times of his happy and inauspious Fortunes.
2. Those who are born under such a position where Saturn beareth greatest rule, or if he be in the Ascendant, are melancholy, envious; yet timorous persons; if Mars or Mercury be in Square or Opposition to him, they then Enthusiast or Mad men.
3. Men born under Jupiter, are generally noble minded, aiming to do good to others, thinking no ill; but if either of the Lights shall be in square or opposition to Saturn or Jupiter, and Mars in the Ascendant, or in opposition thereunto, the Native will be villainously minded, rash, head-strong, and rebellious, treacherous to all, and friend to none, but from the teeth oneward.
4. If under Mars, and he essentially powerful, the Native is full of Courage, proves a good Soldier, attains to great Honour thereby; Mars also maketh good surgeons, physicians, apothecaries etc.
5. He that is born under the Sun and he royally dignified, is altogether aiming at Sovereignty, Rule and Dominion, and will be very famous, the fame if any of the fiery sign, Horoscopize and the Sun fortified as aforesaid.
6. He who is born under Venus and she nobly fortified is a great lover of delights and pleasures, of an upright mind, nothing distrustful; but if she be ill placed and in ill aspect of Saturn, he follows sensuality and bestial pleasures; if of Mars, he is subject to many notorious scandals and disgraces, and is seldom free from venereal diseases.
7. Mercury lord of the ascendant in a nativity well dignified, shews the native to be of a most admireable fancy, and great Elocution; he makes famous orators by being in good aspect of the Moon and Venus, or in reception of them; Excellent Divines and Philosophers by being in good aspect to Saturn or Jupiter; the best Mathematicians or Astrologers by being in reception or good aspect of Mars.
8. When the Moon governs the Horoscope, and she well placed, the native is a great lover of Novel things, subject to Mutations, of a gentle Nature and Disposition, timorous, often desirous to travels and see strange countries; if she be in aspect of Mercury, he will be apt to learn many languages.
9. Mars strong in a nativity, and lord of the seventh, and in no good aspect of the Luminaries or Ascendant, the native is subject to misfortunes in war, or in anything of controversie; for the seventh house signifies adversaries and in this regard they will be to powerful for him to contend with.
10. All the planets, are most of them above the earth be the native of what capacity he will make him eminent and famous beyond it; but if they shall be in their dignities so posited, the native ( like a Comet) shall outshine all in that place or part of the world, where he shall be born.
11. The in fortunes afflicting the Sun, the Moon are horoscope by body or partile aspect shews him that is born to be of a short and sickly life.
12. The Sun in the Ascendant makes eminent boasters and very proud persons; Mars there, makes notorious lyars and inventers of stables****/ and great contrivers of mischief, perturbed turbulent and evil minded men.
13. Eminent Fixed Stars upon the angles of a nativity do give the native eminent honour and fame.
14. Mercury in Cazimi Solis, and in his own dignities makes the native not only a fame orator but an excellent councellor, and for his ingenuity he will be admired, and had in great esteem.
15. Saturn in the tenth of the nativity, destroys the natives honour and fame, let it be never so great; if Jupiter be there he may preserve it in difficulties; but in the end it will be absolutely shipwrackt.
16. If Saturn in the nativity of a King or other person less fame shall be in Opposition to the M.C. although the genitures be otherwise fortune yet the natives and will be most inauspicious and cruel.
17. All the planets in a Nativity Retrograde and under the earth, though the native be of illustrious birth, yet he is of a falling fame and fortune.
18. Cardinals Signs possessing the Angles of a Nativity, makes the native (of any condition or capacity) most eminent and fame in his generation and to do such acts as after ages shall admire him for.
19. Mars in the tenth brings scandal and dishonour to the native in many things whether he be deserving there of, or not.
20. The Sun or the Moon in square or Opposition of Saturn or Mars from angles, chiefly the fourth or tenth, declare a violent death; if it be Mars only and in humane signs, the native dies by the hand of his enemies; if to Saturn he may be poisoned or starved to death in prison.
21. Those persons (be they King or of a meaner quality) are beloved of all sorts, who have Jupiter or Venus well placed in the tenth or first, and those angles free from affliction.
22. The Mid-heaven famously fortified, gives the native not only eminent Honour, but such as shall remain and be durable; though at sometimes upon ill directions, it may be subject to misfortunes.
23. When in a nativity Saturn is in tenth or eleventh houses, and the M.C. comes by direction to his body, the native loseth all his offices and preferment, and never riseth again; If in such a nativity a violent death were threatened, this puts a shameful period to his life.
24. The Dragon’s Tail in the tenth and Mars afflicting the lights in a violent sign in the fourth, portend a fatal end to the Honour and Life of the native.
25. The lord of the Ascendant stronger than the lord of seventh, the native always overcomes his enemies.
26. Mars in Aries, Scorpio or Capricorn in the Ascendant of a nativity, makes the native invincible, chiefly if otherwise aspected of the fortunate planets and the Luminaries.
27. Mars in Conjunction, Square or Opposition to the Moon, and Saturn in the same aspect to the Sun from angles, portend a violent death; and if they shall be so placed in violent signs, though not in angles, the same.
28. Mercury in Square or Opposition to Mars gives a sharp but a most turbulent wit and understanding.
29. Mercury in Pisces, in an angle afflicted of Mars or the Sun, and Moon in an angle afflicted of Saturn, makes an ideot ****, **** or frantick fellow; for his brains like a cracker looking glass, will represent a thousand several shapes.
30. Eminent fixed stars, upon the angles of a nativity, chiefly the M.C. and Horoscope, declare eminent and prodigious persons, such as shall make the world admire them, if the planets therein shall but moderately assist.
31. Both the lights attached in watery or airy signs, bring to the native an unremoveable Gout.
32. The Moon in conjunction to the Pleiades, and in square of Mars from an angle, denotes great defects in the eyes, in not blindness.
33. He that hath any of the fiery signs ascending, and lord of the Horoscope in the tenth house, will be always aiming at things beyond the capacity of his birth, let it be what it will.
34. Sometimes the inferior planets shall denotes greater honour and fame to the native than the Superiors; but then it shall not be of so long continuance.
35. He that is born upon a new or full Moon, exactly lives but little time, if at all unless the Moon have great latitude, for that sometimes may make the conjunction or opposition eight or nine degree distant.
36. Virgo ascending, generally makes the native ingenious person, unless Mercury, who is lord thereof, is in Pisces or Sagittarius, then is the native confident without reason, and will pretend to things he understands not.
37. Fortunate planets in the ninth makes famous Church-men and Lawyers; the like, if the Benevolents trine the lord of the ninth.
38. He that hath Saturn or Mars in the ninth, and the Dragon’s Tail in the Horoscope, will prove a mad fellow to make either a Pope or a Parish priest of.
39. Saturn in an aery sign in the Ascendant in good aspect of the Moon or Mercury, make learned and famous Divines, such as will acquaint themselves with many languages.
40. Venus and Mercury in Conjunction in an aereal sign in the Ascendant, in trine to Jupiter in the ninth, makes the great Scholars and most learned Criticks.
41. Those Divines are the very top of their profession, who have many planets in their ninth house.
42. The lord of the tenth in the twelfth, and lord of the twelfth in the Ascendant, are certain arguments of Imprisonment and Restraint; the like if the lord of the Ascendant is in the twelfth.
43. Mercury in Cancer retrograde, in square to Mars and Jupiter and they in opposition to each other, in the nativity of a Divine, makes a great Enthusiast.
44. Venus and Jupiter in the Ascendant, void of the afflictions of the Infortunes, make just and upright persons.
45. Those who have Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces ascending at birth, and Mercury afflicted of the Saturn or Dragon’s Tail, they either speak not at all, or else they have a very great Impediment in their Speech; if Mars afflict Mercury in such a nativity, the native Stammers very much.
46. If Sign of Voice ascend at birth, as Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius or Aquarius, and Mercury be free from affliction, the native is of excellent Speech, and of a graceful Elocution.
47. The Moon in conjunction of Saturn in an earth sign, and an earthy sign ascending, makes exceeding Melancholy persons, and such as believe they see Visions.
48. He that hath the Moon in Aries, in conjunction to Mercury, and the Dragon’s Tail upon the Ascendant, will be a Promoter of Lyes and Deceits.
49. Saturn upon the cusp of the second makes the native always poor, let him have what assistance soever, unless he be well dignified there, and friendly irradiated by the beams of the Fortunes.
50. Mars and the Sun in the second in their dignities, give the native an Estate, but procure him ways to spend it; ill posited there, he will not have much to be Prodigal of, without other good assistances.
51. The greater the dignities of the planets are in a nativity, the more splendid and spreading is the native’s fame, the greater their debilities, the more obscure his fortune.
52. A continued series of good directions makes a bad nativity, at sometimes very good; but they will not continue it so to the end.
53. A grand Satellitium of planets in the eighth house, upon good directions to them, the native gains mightily by the Wills and Legacies of deceased persons.
54. Fortunate planets well placed in the eleventh house, denotes many great and powerful friends; unfortunate ones there, ill affected, declare few and faithless.
55. Mercury and Venus posited in the tenth house, either in the houses of Mars or Mercury, make the native exceedingly famed for his skill in sciences.
56. The Moon in reception and trine of Mercury, make a man --------* up of Councils by the Room *.
57. Saturn and Mars in opposition from Equinoctial Signs, make a person * Tyrant, and if they shall be in square to Jupiter, he shall be an observer of Law and Religion for his own ends.
58. All the planets under the earth, when they promise Dignity, Honour and Renown, they generally perform it in the later part of the native’s life.
59. The lord of the eleventh stronger than the lord of the seventh, denotes the Friends and Assistance of the native to be more considerable and powerful than his Adversaries.
60. The return of the Superior planets to their radical places in any Revolution, portend a fatal year, chiefly if attended with an ill direction.
61. The lord of the Ascendant of the Radix in conjunction with the lord of the eighth in a Revolution in the eighth, is very dangerous to the life of the native.
62. When the sign of the sixth in the Radix ascend in a Revolution, and lord of the sixth is posited in the fourth, it is a dangerous year to the native’s life, if an ill direction be operating.
63. Some persons attain to great Honour and Perferment, who have bad Geniture; but they must Sympathize with the Nativities of their Rulers *.
64. The Sympathy that can be in Nativities, is having the fortunate Planets in one, upon the place of the Luminaries in the other, and the Luminaries upon the places of the fortunate Planets.
65. The greatest antipathy is by the Infortunes of the one, possessing the places of the Luminaries in the other, and the Luminaries upon the places of the Infortunes.
66. Saturn in one man’s Nativity, upon the Ascendant of another, is an absolute token of Hatred, and the latter shall be the wronged person.
67. Mercury in either of the Houses of Saturn gives an admirable understanding; if he shall be in sextile or trine, or Reception of Saturn, the Native will be admired for his Ingenuity.
68. The Sun and Moon in Conjunction of Mercury in a Tropical Sign, give the Native large Intellectual Abilities.
69. The Head of Algol in the M.C. and the Moon in the twelfth, in Square thereunto, portend loss of Honour and Renown, if not (at last) Death in Prison.
70. All the Planets in a Nativity out of their Essential Dignities, declare obscure persons, which if they happen to attain to any degree of Perferment, they never long enjoy it.
71. Violent Fixed Stars upon the Cusp of the M.C. and the Lord thereof posited among such, denote a violent Catastrophe of the Native’s Honour and Fame.
72. Directions to the Planets in the descending part of Heaven, although they denote the highest happiness Imaginable; yet it is not long durable.
73. Those persons that have crowds of planets in Angles, have at some time or other of their lives, prodigious Success or Detriment, according to the Nature of the Directions that shall then occur.
74. He who hath Saturn Lord of the seventh, never Marrieth till he is past 30 years of age, unless it so happen that Jupiter or Venus be upon the Horoscope, or in good Aspect of the Moon in his Nativity.
75. A fortunate Planet in the eighth House, always portends a Natural Death.
76. The Lord of the eighth in the tenth, declares death to the Native by the Sentence of a Judge.
77. The Sun, Moon, or M.C. directed ad sextile or trine Jupiter and Venus, the Native (if capable) rarely fails of Marriage.
78. Astrologers may easily miss of the measures of time in Directions, if they shall omit the Consideration of eminent Transits; for good or bad Directions may be anticipated and continued as happy or unfortunate Transits occur.
79. The Moon in via Combusta, and the Sun in via -------*, denotes great danger to the Eyes; and if the unfortunate Planets shall be in the horoscope or Opposition thereunto, it presageth blindness.
80. If the Nativities of Children (I mean such as are Vital) the Ascendant or Sun to the body of Mars, produceth the Small Pox or Measles; in grown men, the Plague or Pestilential Feaver; in elderly persons, Death.
81. The Ascendant or either of the Lights, (as either shall be Hylech) directed to the Conjunction, Square or Opposition of Saturn, and the Native seldom escapes death; because these Signs in Man’s Body represent the vital Parts, and Saturn in the contrary Signs hath most power to hurt.
82. Mercury in the House of Mars in good Aspect of the Moon and Lord of the Ascendant, gives a good understanding.
83. In a Woman’s Nativity, the Lord of the seventh posited in the Ascendant, makes her Domineer and Lord it over her Husband, and if the Lord of the Ascendant be a Superiour planet, she will Lord to the purpose.
84. The Sun and Mercury in Conjunction in the third or fourth, make men skilful in occult and studious Arts.
85. He that hath many planets in Reception, or beholding each other by good Aspect, cannot fail of having many Friends.
86. The Sun and Mars in the Ascendant in aery or fiery Signs, make Proud and Prodigal persons, and such as conceit themselves to be much more than they are.
87. Mars in Opposition in the Ascendant, and Saturn in the same Aspect to the Sun, make an absolute Knave and Treacherous Rascal.
88. Venus in the Ascendant, and Mercury Lord thereof in Reception of her, denote a just honest fair-conditioned person.
89. The Moon in good Aspect of the Lord of the M.C. and Ascendant, make the Native eminently honoured and Esteemed.
90. Planets squaring and opposing each other from Cardinal Signs, declare great Mischiefs to the persons then born in their lives time, and at last a violent death.
91. In a Geniture of short life, the Ascendant, Sun, or Moon directed to the Dragon’s Tail, is killing.
92. Directions of the M.C. to Promittors, never kill, but in those Nativities, which portend a violent death.
93. In a Nocturnal Nativity, if Saturn shall be posited in the eighth House, it portends a violent death.
94. When in a Nativity Venus is posited in the tenth House, be the Native Man or Woman, they Marry Honourably.
95. The Sun or Moon in Square or Opposition of Saturn or Mars from Angles, portend prejudice to the Native’s sight.
96. Jupiter, Venus, or the Dragon’s Head in the fifth in a Fruitful Sign, declare many children to the Native; and if the Moon be in any good Aspect to them, there she increaseth the number.
97. Mars in Opposition to Jupiter or Venus destroys the Children or issue of the Native, let them be never so numerous.
98. The Aspects of the Fixed Stars are to be considered in general Positions or Directions, as well as the Aspects of the planets.
99. Astrologers themselves, that are subject to a bad fate (though their skill may be good) shall be apt to err in their Judgment
100. The art of Astrology is certain and most indubitably true; but there are few that Practise it, who rightly understand it.
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* The word which is not properly legible and doubted is indicated by * after mentioning it in Italics. Where a word is illegible, ---------* is used in place of that word.
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